Boycott: Strauss needs county rehab
Geoffrey Boycott has suggested England opener Andrew Strauss should have been sent back to county cricket to regain his form rather than keeping his place for the final Test against the West Indies.
Monday's 60-run victory at Old Trafford secured a series victory over the tourists, with the only change to the side for this week's final Test seeing Matthew Hoggard replace Liam Plunkett, and Boycott believes the retention of Strauss - who managed only six runs in his two innings in Manchester - could be a missed opportunity.
"Strauss can't make a run," the former England batsman told BBC Radio Five Live's podcast. "If he gets runs in the next Test it will be a good decision. Personally, I have been in that situation when your mind has gone, and you can't make a run, your feet are all over the place. If West Indies bowl well he'll get out again cheaply because he's just not playing well."
He added: "He'll need pull out a lot of character and get a slice or two of luck to survive. That's the key.
"Personally I would have sent him back to county cricket for a while. I'm not dismissing him from Test cricket, he's got too good a record.
"But I don't care how good you are, unless you're Don Bradman, everybody's had a period when they have not played very well. It can be very cruel in the Test match arena."
